Drying machine



Jan. 28, 1936. 01-15 2,029,117

DRYING MACHINE Filed April 15, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet l NVENTOR Jan. 28, '1936. OTIS 2,029,117

DRYING MACHINE Filed April 15, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 1 ill i I;

Jan. 28, 1936. c, 0115 2,029,117

DRYING MACHINE Filed April 15,1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 h. INVEIYTOR (Ker/e: N. 02% 67' 7 final A 1% lg A770 EYJ Patented- Jan. 28, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE name. mom

Application April 15, 1933, Serial No. 666,336

10 Claims.

This invention relates to drying apparatus for laundry work and the like wherein the articles to be dried are maintained in motion by the air which dries them.

Thus the apparatus is generally characterized by a stationary container into which work to be dried is placed and in which the work is maintained in motion by the drying air which is circulated through the container.

The general objects of the invention are to provide such an apparatus which shall function' for its intended purpose with the highest emciency;

To this end a more particular object of the invention is to provide a novel shape of container and disposition of air inlet and outlet openings therefor, whereby the load of work will be tumbled in a predetermined path with least resistance, and will be broken up into its individual pieces and thus rapidly dried.

Another object is to provide novel means for air exit with least eiiect upon the desired motion conditions of air and work.

And another object is to provide for continuous operation, generally by dividing the container into a plurality of compartments and providing individual control means therefor so that each compartment may be operated through its cycle independently of the others and its operating conditions be adjusted with equal independence.

As will later appear, the invention provides that the drying air comes immediately into direct contact with the articles to be dried, and the latter are maintained in tumbling motion by the air itself and thus without the necessity of any of the usual mechanical means; so that the apparatus as a whole as well as the nature of its functioning is of the greatest simplicity and corresponding eiiiciency.

The exact nature of this invention together with further objects and advantages thereof will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention adapted for laundry use, as looking from the work-receiving and discharging side thereof; Fig. 2 is a typical sectional elevation of the same, illustrating its operation; Fig. 3 is ahorizontal section as in the central plane of Fig. 2; Figs. 4 and 5 are details in sectional elevation of parts appearing in Figs. 2 and 3, and illustrating particularly the provisions for air inlet and outlet to the work compartment, the plane of Fig. 4 being between a pair of compartments and that of Fig. 5 being within a compartment; and Figs. 6 and 7 are plan view and typical sectional elevation respectively, conventionally illustrating an embodiment of the invention adapted for dry cleaning application.

With reference now to Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings the apparatus includes a work container part generally designated at I, Fig. 1, and of generally cylindrical form disposed horizontally. The work container part is divided into a number of compartments A, Al, A2, A3, A4 and A5, 5

etc., six of these being indicated, by hollow transverse partition means 2. While the work container I has been described as generally cylindrical, and thus the peripheral contour of each compartment is generally circular, it will be ob- 10 served from Fig. 2 that the contour is modified to provide volute characteristics. Each compartment has, coextensive therealong, an air inlet opening 3 leading horizontally at the bottom, and generally tangentially, to an arcuate wall 4 15 which leads upwardly and connects at the top witha part 5 of lesser radius. The part 5 leads downwardly to a straight wall portion 6 having a slope toward the direction of travel of the air incoming through the opening 3. Each compart- 20 ment has a door i which may be slidably mounted as indicated, or may be otherwise mounted, to control an opening through which work may be loaded into or removed from the compartment. Each door I has an imperforate panel 8 of glass 25 or otherwise transparent material by which inspection may be had of the interior of the compartment without opening the door. A valve or damper 9 is provided for each compartment to control the air inlet opening 3 thereof; and 30 each damper is arranged for individual control by a handle It]. For the purpose each damper is of flap type mounted upon a hinge pin I I which pin is suitably mounted for rocking under the control of a lever I2. Each lever I2 is connected, as by a link i3 and swivel joint i l, with the rod l5 which carries its handle ID. The rod i5 being threadedly mounted as at l6, it will be apparent that rotation of the handle in will permit adjustment of its damper 9 between the full and dotted line positions indicated Fig. 2. The rod !5 and associated parts, with the exception of those for the end compartment, are located in the hollows of the partitions 2, as indicated Figs. 1 and 3.

Associated with each damper 9 is a flap l1 hingedly mounted to overhang the damper and freely rest thereupon as indicated Figs. 2, 4, and 5.

The wall parts 5 and 6 of each compartment are of grille characteristics formed by a parallel arrangement of curved or straight bars [8, whereby air is permitted free egress from the compartment, the work is retained therein, and the work is permitted motion along the bars I8 with very little friction thereagainst. The work container I is associated with a housing generally designated by the reference character l9, which may be of the double wall construction indicated for conservation of heat, from the front wall of which the work container part projects as in- 60 dicated Figs. 1 and 2, so that access to the compartnients A by way of their doors 1 is convenient.

Within the housing i9 is mounted a centrifugal blower including an impeller 20 and volute casing 2| therefor, these parts being arranged in the usual cooperative relation and preferably carried by a sub-frame 22. A motor 23 arranged, as upon the housing iii, to drive the impeller 20 by means of a belt passing over suitable pulleys and through suitable openings in the housing as indicated Fig. 2. The blower casing 2| has end inlet openings 25 leading from the hollow of the housing IS, the housing itseif having an air inlet screened as at 25 and controllable by a closure 21. The outlet end of the blower casing is connected for delivery to the inlet openings 3 of the compartments A by a manifold 28, as indicated Figs. 2 and 3 and which may be provided with partitions 28 to improve air flow characteristics therein. Back of the work container 8. lint screen 29 may be slidably mounted for endwise removal from the housing l9 by manipulation of the closure to with which the screen is secured. Back of the lint screen a set of steam heating coils 3| may be provided.

' Leading from the space between the lint screen 29 and the compartments A is an exhaust manifold 32 communicating with an outlet pipe 33. A

. valve 34 controlled by a handle through the the lint screen 29, past the heating coils 8i and thence again into the blower. The air is recirculated in this closedpath provided the closure 21 and the exhaust valve 34 be closed. .On the other hand if these be open, new air entering by way of the grille 26 will replace air exhausting past the vaive 34 to the extent that these two controlling means are opened.

The air delivered through the manifold 28 will enter those compartments A whose dampers 9 are open, and to the extent that they are open. As to any compartment whose inlet valve is open, the air will enter as indicated in Fig. 2 in a stream formed by the nozzle-like converging walls 28 and conducted through the elongated slotted opening 3 in a direction to cause air flow substantially circumferentially of the compartment as distinguished from transverse or radial. flow, that is to say, in a direction generally tangentially and because of the curvature of the peripheral compartment wall, the air stream will move outwardly and upwardly, thence rearwardly and out between the bars l8. This will impart a swirling motion to the work in the compartment causing it to be tumbled about coincidentaiiy advancing in the circular path indicated Fig. 2. In such motion a piece of work commencing with its entrainment in the air stream entering the opening 3 will move upwardly with the sweep of the curvature 4 and as it reaches the top of the curve when the gravity effect approaches the inertia effect, the sharpened curvature 5 at the top of the air outlet opening will nicely correspond to the natural path of the piece, so that thepiece has but slight bearing against the bars l8, moving, however, downwardly therealong through the slope 6 thereof, over the flap l1 and again becoming entrained in the entering air stream.

As to operation of the machine as a whole, the cycle of any compartment will be closing its air inlet damper 9, opening its door I and loading the work into the compartment therethrough, closing the door, and reopening the damper 9 by suitable adjustment of its handle In to permit just enough air flow to maintain the work in proper motion. This is observable through the transparency 8 in the door. Having loaded one compartment and set it into operation the operator proceeds to the remaining compartments in succession with the same loading operations. Meanwhile the work in the first loaded compartment has been properly dried so that the operator returns thereto, closes the air inletvalve, unloads and reloads it. Thus, while the individual compartments have their operating cycles in staggered relation with each other, the machine as a. whole is continuous in its operation.

With reference now to Figs. 6 and '1 of the drawings wherein parts corresponding with those in Figs. 1 to 5 bear corresponding reference charactors, apparatus adapted for dry-cleaning is shown. The work-containing part Ia has the some generally cyiindrical but modified contour as'before, including the arcuate wall pert 4a. leading upwardly to a curved wall part 5a of lesser radius, and thence to a straight wail part So. having a re-entrant slope. The wall part 6a is in the form of a grille of bars 59a, permitting exit of air. I Y

The container may be divided into compartments as before, two being indicated, each having a door la for loading and unloading of the work. A damper 9a is arranged as before to control the-air inlet opening 3:; to each compartment. The dampers being controiled as before, by means not here shown. A blower having a rotor 20a driven by a motor 23a and having a volute casing 2Ia, serves the inlet openings 3a through a manifold 281;. A housing l9a is provided for the blower, and has a screened air inlet opening 26a adjacent which may be located a heating coil 3hr. The blower casing 2|a. has inlet openings 25a leading from the hollow of the housing No.

A manifold 32a leads from the work container to an exhaust pipe 331:.

The operation will be apparent. Operation of the blower causes air flow as indicated by the arrows, from the inlet opening 26a to the exhaust pipe 33a by way of the blower inlet 25a, manifold 28a, work compartments and exhaust manifold 32a. It will be noted that in this embodiment of the invention'there is no provision for recirculation of air, and indeed otherwise the parts function substantially as hefore. Particularly, the method of loading and unloading. the work container compartments, the flow of air through the work container, and its effect upon the work therein, all take place as before.

What I claim is:

1. In a fabric drying machine, means providing a work container of generally cylindrical form, the central portion of said container means being substantially unobstructed, said structure having an opening through which work may be received and withdrawn and a closure for said opening, said container having air inlet means arranged for delivery of drying air into said container generally tangentially thereof, the container having means providing for outlet of said air without permitting egress of work with the air.

2. In a fabric drying machine, means providing a work container of generally cylindrical form with a peripheral wall extending between a pair of upright end walls, having an opening through which work may be received and withdrawn and a closure for said opening, the central portion of said container means being unobstructed, said container having air inlet means arranged for delivery of drying air into the lower part of said container generally tangentially thereof, the container having means providing for outlet of said air, whereby work in said container will be caused to move in a swirling path by the air by which it is being dried.

3. In a drying machine, means providing a work container of generally cylindrical form with a peripheral wall extending between a pair of upright end walls, said container having an opening through which work may be received and withdrawn and a closure for said opening, the central portion of said container means being substantially unobstructed, said peripheral container wall having air inlet means arranged for approximately horizontal delivery of drying air into the lower part of said container generally tangentially thereof, said peripheral wall having means on that side from which air is received, providing for outlet of said air without permitting egress of work therewith.

4. In a drying machine, means providing a work container of form generally cylindrical but modified to provide volute characteristics, said container having an opening through which work may be received and withdrawn and a closure for said opening, the central portion of said container means being substantially unobstructed, said container having air inlet means arranged for deliveryof drying air into said container generally tangentially thereof at the outer extremity of the volute conformation, said container having means providing for outlet of said air at the opposite end of said volute conformation, without pemiitting egress of work with the air.

5. In a drying machine, means providing a work container of form generally cylindrical but modified to provide volute characteristics, with a peripheral wall extending between a pair of upright end walls, said container having an opening through which work may be received and withdrawn and a closure for said opening, the central portion of said container means being substantially unobstructed, said peripheral container wall having air inlet means arranged for delivery of drying air into said container generally tangentially thereof at the outer extremity of the volute conformation, and being so disposed that said delivery is approximately horizontal, said peripheral wall having means on that side from which air is received, providing for outlet of said air without permitting egress of work therewith.

6. In a drying machine, means providing a work container of generally cylindrical form with a peripheral wall extending between a pair of upright end walls, said container having an opening through which work may be received and withdrawn and a closure for said opening, said peripheral container wall having air inlet means arranged for delivery of drying air into said container generally tangentially thereof, and having means running with the curvature of said peripheral wall on that side from which air is received, providing for outlet of said air without permitting egress of work therewith, said work opening being located in said peripheral wall on the side opposite said air inlet and outlet.

'7. In a drying machine, means providing a work container of generally cylindrical form with a peripheral wall extending between a pair of upright end walls, said container having an opening through which work may be received and withdrawn and a closure for said opening, said peripheral container wall having air inlet means arranged for approximately horizontal delivery of drying air into the lower part of said container generally tangentially thereof, and having means on that side from which air is received, providing for outlet of said air without permitting egress of work therewith, said outlet means including a grille of parallel elements disposed to run with the curvature of said peripheral wall, said work opening being located in said peripheral wall in the side opposite said air inlet and outlet. 5

8. In a drying machine, means providing a work container of form generally cylindrical but modified to provide volute-characteristics, with a peripheral wall extending between a pair of upright end walls, said container having an opening through which work may be received and withdrawn and a closure for said opening, said peripheral container wall having air inlet means arranged for delivery of drying air into said container generally tangentially thereof at the outer extremity of the volute conformation, and being so disposed that said delivery is approximately horizontal, said peripheral wall having means on that side from which air is received, providing for outlet of said air without permitting egress of work therewith, said outlet part of said wall including a substantially straight portion extending to a point adjacent said inlet and sloping toward the direction of travel of the incoming air.

9. In a drying machine, means providing a work container of generally cylindrical form with a peripheral wall extending between a pair of upright end walls, said container having an opening through which work may be received and withdrawn and a closure for said opening, said peripheral container wall-having air inlet means arranged for approximately horizontal delivery of a drying air stream into the lower part of said container generally tangentially thereof, said peripheral wall having means on that side from which air is received and extending substantially to the top of the container providing for a substantially free outlet of said air stream without permitting egress of work therewith.

10. In a drying machine, means providing a work container of form generally cylindrical but modified to provide a peripheral wall having volute characteristics, said container having an opening through which work may be received and withdrawn and a closure for said opening, the central portion of said container means being substantially unobstructed, said container having air inlet means arranged for delivery of drying air into said container generally tangentially thereof at the lower extremity of the volute conformation, said inlet means being so disposed that said delivery is approximately horizontal, said peripheral wall having means on that side from which air is received, providing for outlet of said air without egress of work therewith, said outlet part of said wall including a substantially vertical portion extending to a point adjacent said inlet, and damper means for controlling said air inlet, said damper means comprising means for 7 deflecting work in the direction of travel of the incoming air.

CHARLES M. OTIS. 

